Sony has announced the official price and availability for its new XBR 4K Ultra HD LED TVs. The line includes the XBR-55X900A and the XBR-65X900A, which have screen sizes of 55-inches and 65-inches respectively. While some other manufacturers have offered ultra HD television sets at prices ranging all the way up to $20,000 or more, Sony is actually offering “reasonable” prices, at least comparatively.

The 55-inch TV will sell for $4,995 with the 65-inch version going for $6,999. Both TVs will be available for pre-order on April 21, but the final shipping date is unannounced. Along with pricing and launch information for the TVs Sony is also unveiled its 4K Media Player called the FMP-X1. This device will deliver movies and video shorts in 4K resolution for $699. The media player will be available later this summer.

55" XBR-55X900A

The media streamer itself will come bundled with 10 feature-length films and users will be given access to a fee-based distribution service offering a library of titles from Sony Pictures Entertainment and other production studios. The films that are included with the purchase include Bad Teacher, Battle: Los Angeles, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Karate Kid (2010), Salt, Taxi Driver, That's My Boy, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Other Guys and Total Recall (2012).

The LCD panel industry has been in a race to the bottom over the last almost decade undercutting one another and trying to produce the cheapest passable desktop solution for a public who rarely if every buys on quality of colour reproduction, clarity, and viewing angles when it comes to monitors.

Consumers need to be educated into appreciating quality panels. Producing and distributing 4K panels at very reasonable prices is part of that education. Those that appreciate the best they can get, will buy them. There is a reason we are all not sitting in front of 10" monochrome monitors. This is just the next step.